Doll or manikin knee or limb joint



Se t. 22, 1959 E. w. BAGGOTT ETAL 2,904,930

DOLL OR MANIKIN KNEE 0R LIME JOINT 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 24, 1957 INVENTORS EDMUND W. BAGGOTT JULIUS WEIH FIG.4.

W n/k1 1 6M AT'I' ORNEYS Sept. 22, 1959 E. W. BAGGOTT ETAL DOLL OR MANIKIN KNEE OR LIMB JOINT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 24, 1957 FIG. 7.

INVENTORS EDMUND W. BAGGOTT B JULIUS WEIH ATTOR NEYS United States Patent 2,904,93e DOLL 0R MANIKIN KNEE 0R LiMB JOINT Edmund W. Baggott, Hollis, and Julius Weill, Ozone -Park, N.Y., 'assiguors to Ideal Toy Corporation, Hollis,

N.Y., a cor'pdratiou'of New York Application December 24, 1957, Serial No. 704,959

8 Claims. c1. 46-173) 'Our invention'relates to a new and improved joint between an inner member and an outer member of a doll or manikin.

As one example, the inner member may be a thighmember, and the outer member may be a'leg member, so that the improved joint is a knee-joint.

The inner and outer members are releasably and firmly held at various angles relative to each other. Thus, the leg can be releasably held in vertical alinernent with the thigh, or the leg may be turned backwards to be held in a 'kneeling or sitting position in which the leg is perpendicular to the thigh; if desired, the leg may be held in a position which is intermediate said vertically alined position and said kneeling or sitting position.

Said joint is formed at the outer end of the inner member, and at the inner end of the outer member.

Said members may optionflly be hollow and compressible, flexible, elastic and resilient. Said members have selected normal shapes. Said members may be molded from plastics or other suitable materials.

Without limitation thereto, the invention is explained with reference to a knee-joint between an inner thighmember and an outer leg-member. Whenever reference is made to a thigh or leg herein in the description or claims, this refers to and includes'other inner'and outer members'of a doll or mannikin, such as an elbow-joint, and ankle-joint and other joints.

The invention is further disclosed in the following description and in the annexed drawings, which disclose three embodiments of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of asub'asSembly or sub unit'of the first embodiment showing a clamping plate held temporarily innon-clarnpi'ng position.

Fig. '2 is a vertical, axial section in a transverse vertical plane, showing the final asesmbly of the thigh and legywhen the-leg is vertically alined with the thigh.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig-2.

Fig. 4 is an axial vertical section of the thigh ina longitudinal plane, which is perpendicular to the vertical transverse plane of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 also shows the leg in rear elevation and it shows the clamping plate in the position of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an axial section in a showing the leg turned rearwar'dly relative in a kneeling or sitting position of said leg.

Fig. 6 is an axial vertical section of the second embodirnent, in a transverse vertical plane.

Fig. 7 is an axial vertical section of the third embodimerit, in atr'ansverse vertical plane.

"Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

'Save for some features later specifically mentioned herein, the drawings'are to scale, and reference is made to said s cale'drawings'aspart of the disclosure.

transverse vertical plane, to the thigh,

First embodiment Figs. 1-5

The thigh T and leg L of this embodiment are hollow they have walls which are resilient and flexible. These walls may be'elastic and easily compressible.

Patented Sept. 22, 1959.

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For convenience, the parts are described with reference to the vertical alined positions of thigh Tand leg L which are shown in Fig. 2.

The thigh T has a front vertical wall F and a rear vertical wall R. Said thigh T has a-bottom rim or edge 24. The plane of rim 24 lies generally between the two reference numerals 234 in Fig. 2, so that said rim 24 extends downwardly from the rear wall 'R and rear numeral 24 to the front wall F and the front numeral 24 shown in Fig. 2. By reason of the lower front region of said rim Q4, the legL can be turned or bent rearwardly relative to thigh T, as shown in Fig. 5, but the leg L cannot be turned or bent forwardly relative to thigh T, from the position of leg L which is shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 shows the side walls of thigh T. Said side walls may be of sufiicient'length to extend to or to extend below alate'r'ally extending pivot rod 12 of the'leg L. I

The bottom end of thigh T is open. The top end of thigh 'T may be open or closed.

'At its open lower end, the thigh T has an internal, integral diaphragm 10. (This diaphragm 10, like thigh T ,is made of material which may be elastic, flexible, and resilient and easily compressible.

The thigh T can be molded integrally with diaphragm 10 from'any suitable plastic or other material.

This diaphragm 10 may have any arched shape, such as a'dome-shape,'orthe shape of part of a sphere, or'the shape'of' paitof-a cylinder, thereby defining a socket.

A stirrup S may be made of'metal'or any other material. Said stirrup S has a generally later'ahtop curved arm and two parallel and vertical stirrup-arms 11 and 11a.

Adjacent its *upperend, the leg L has 'a headH. This head H, like the 'body of leg L, may be resilient, elastic and flexible and-compressible. Said head l-l 'has a'first generally vertical wall 2, whose lower end isat'a lateral groove or junction line 8. Said first wall 2 is inclined rearwardly relative to the rear wall or calf-wall C of leg Land relative to theaxisofleg L, and intersectsatthe groove "8 with the ealfwall C.

At=the upper end of'sai'dfirst wall 2, head H has a transverse generallyupwardly facing shoulder 3. Above said shoulder 3, head H has a second arid inclined'wall 4 which is inclined forwardly relative to'the vertical axis of legL. Thissecond wan'a extends up to a lateral grooveorijunction line 9. Above said line 9, he'ad H' has a substantially vertical, laterally extending tliirdwall 5, which is substantially' paraliel to the axis o f leg L and is separated from the front wall 7 of head H by asubstantially'vertical, laterally extending groove 6. The'entire leg L, *inciuding 'its head H, can be molded integrally from any suitabl'epla'stic or other material.

zThe' top curved arm of stirrups has a longitudinal slot 18 of rectangular shape. The-'median-part'of'slot18 is enlarged to provide a circular op'ening.

A rigid,'cylindrical, metal rod 14 has a top flattened eye 15. Said rod 14 fits closely-andyertically slidably in 'said enlarged circular op'eningof slot 18,"sothat'rod 14 cannottilt relative-to slot '18or relative to stirrup S.

iTherigid' rod 14 is 'swaged to provide an integral rigid, cross-lug 19, which is perpendicular to the vertical'axis of 'rod 14. This lug-19 is show'n'in the transverse position in Figs. 1 and 4, perpendicular to'the longitudinal slot 18. When lug 19 is thus perpendicular to slot-18, said lug 19 acts as a stop, to prevent rod 14 from moving below its position of Figs. 1 and 4. When rod 14 is turned around its axis in unison with cross-lug 19, until cross-lug 19 is alined with slot 18, said cross-lug '19 can pass'thr'ough slot 18, so-that rod 14-can be shifted'toits position of Figs. 2 and 3.

Said rod 14'has a top, flattenedeye 15. When r'o'd 14 is shifted to its position of Figs. 2 and 3, said eye 15 is located above slot 18.

Fig. 1 shows the initial assembly between the parts disclosed therein. This initial assembly or sub-unit is made outside of thigh T.

In order to make said initial assembly, or sub-unit of Fig. l, the rod 14 is passed through the circular opening in the middle of slot 18, and the cross-lug 19 is held in the position of Fig. l. A helical compression spring 17 is then mounted upon the portion of rod 14 which extends below the top of stirrup S. An arched abutment or clamping plate 16 is then rigidly fixed to the bottom end of rod 14, keeping the spring 17 under compression.

The cross-lug 19 then acts as a temporary stop, in order to prevent the compressed spring 17 from shifting rod 14 downwardly below its position of Fig. 1.

The fiat arms 11 and 11a of stirrup S are then connected turnably to leg L, by means of a laterally extending pivot rod 12, which extends through horizontally aligned bores of leg L. The ends of pivot-rod 12 are enlarged in the usual manner, to keep rod 12 assembled with arms 11 and 11a and leg L. The bottom face of plate 16 may have the same shape as the top face of diaphragm 10. This plate 16 is located wholly within the stirrup S, so that plate 16 does not extend forwardly or rearwardly beyond stirrup S in the temporarily raised position of Figs. 1 and 4.

This plate 16 is generally rectangular and arcuately bent along its longitudinal axis. The longitudinal dimension of plate 16 may be such that the longitudinally opposed ends of plate 16 extend almost to the inner faces of stirrup-arms 11 and 11a.

As best shown in Fig. 3, the diaphragm has two transversely disposed arm-slots 21 and 21a, in which the stirrup-arms 11 and 11a fit closely. In addition, said diaphragm 10 has a longitudinal cross-slot 20, which joins the front ends of said arm-slots 21 and 21a.

The diaphragm 10 is thus provided with a flexible and resilient diaphragm-flap 10 of rectangular shape, which has three free edges at the slots 21, 21a, 20. Said flap 10 is defined by said slots 21, 21a, 20. Said flap 10f is integral with diaphragm 10 at the rear ends of arm-slots 21 and 21a. It said flap 10 is bent upwardly and then released, said flap 10f springs back to normal position, in which its contour is continuous with the normal arched shape of diaphragm 10.

After the initial assembly of Fig. 1 has been made, the stirrup S and leg L are assembled with the thigh T in the conditions of Fig. 4, while cross-lug 19 is maintained in the stop position of Figs. 1 and 4.

For this purpose, the eye 15 and top of stirrup S are pushed upwardly against the diapragm-flap 10 thus temporarily upwardly flexing diaphragm-flap 10), at the longitudinal line which joins the rear edges of the arm-slots 21 and 21a of diaphragm 10. When the top arm of stirrup S is raised sufliciently so that the plate clears diaphragm-flap 10 said diaphragm flap 10f springs back to normal position, in which the transverse edges of said diaphragm-flap 10 are edges of the transverse arm-slots 21 and 21a of diaphragm 10.

The stirrup S is thus prevented from turning relative to diaphragm 10 about a vertical axis, but said stirrup S has a limited tilting around a lateral or horizontal axis. The stirrup S is thus pushed to the position of Fig. 4, while cross-lug 19 is held in its stop position of Fig. 1 and Fig. 4.

When stirrup S is in its position of Fig. 4 the rod 14 is turned around its vertical axis through an angle of ninety degrees, thus alining cross-lug 19 with slot 18. The compressed spring 17 moves rod 14 downwardly to its position of F 'gs. 2 and 3, in which plate 16 is forced downwardly against diaphragm 10. The spring 17 is always under compression when plate 16 abuts diaphragm 10, thus exerting a yieldable upward seating thrust on leg L. The pressure of plate 16 is insuflicient to distort diaphragm 10 substantially from its normal shape. As above noted, the plate 16 is fixed rigidly to rod 14.

Hence when rod 14 is turned from its stop position of Figs. 1 and 4 to its release position of Figs. 2 and 3, the plate 16 is shifted to its transverse forwardly and rearwardly extending position of Figs. 2 and 3, in which plate 16 extends transversely beyond the arm slots 21 and 21a and the longitudinal cross-slot 21.

As above noted, the plate 16 is of substantial length so that plate 16 cannot slip below diaphragm 10. Also, the plate 16, in all positions of the leg L relative to the thigh T, extends across the longitudinal cross-slot 20.

The rod 14 can be thus turned from its stop position of Figs. 1 and 4 to its release position of Figs. 2 and 3, by means of a suitable tool which is inserted through the top open end of thigh T, if thigh T has a top open end of sufiicient size. This tool can also be inserted through the longitudinal cross-slot 21, to grip either rod 14 or plate 16.

As shown in Fig. 2, the thigh-diaphragm 10 is molded to provide a laterally extending resilient bottom rib 22 and a laterally extending bottom recess 23, both of which are parallel to the pivot rod 12. Said rib 22 and recess 23 extend up to the respective side walls of thigh T.

In Fig. 2, the entire resilient rib 22 fits closely in the entire vertical recess 6 of resilient head H, with a close frictional fit, and the entire upper part of the entire resilient wall 5 of head H fits closely in the entire resilient recess 23, with a close frictional fit. Due to the force of the compressed spring 17, the resilient rib 22 may be compressed in recess 6, and wall 5 may be compressed in recess 23.

In Fig. 2, the rear part of resilient rim 24 abuts the transverse resilient shoulder 3 of head H, thus providing a yieldable stop, and the front part of rim 24 sufficiently abuts the front wall 7 of head 2, as shown in scale in Fig 2, thus preventing leg L from being turned forwardly relative to thigh T.

When the respective longitudinal axes of leg L and thigh T are perpendicular to each other, as shown in Fig. 5, the rear edge of bottom rim 24 of thigh T abuts the junction line or groove 8, thus providing a stop to restrain further rearward turning of leg L relative to thigh T.

In Fig. 5, the top edge of wall 5 and a part of wall 7 abut the respective part of rim 24 and diaphragm 10, thus providing a firm frictional engagement which holds leg L in its position of Fig. 5.

As above noted, stirrup S and its rod 14 have a limited movement relative to diaphragm 10, about a lateral axis. In Fig. 5, the spring 17 is under compression, and the axis of rod 14 is inclined to the axis of thigh T.

In said position of Fig. 5, the common axis of rod 14 and compression spring 17 substantially intersects the axis of pivot-rod 12. The spring 17 either exerts no turning force on leg L to turn leg L back to standing position, or said turning force is small, so that the friction in the joint firmly and yieldably holds leg L in its fully bent position of Fig. 5.

Second embodiment, Fig. 6

This second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment, save that the rod 14 and its rigidly fixed clamping plate 16 are omitted, and they are replaced by a flexible compression spring 17a. The diaphragm 10 in Fig. 6 is provided with a slot 20 and slots corresponding to 21 and 21a (Fig. 3) to define a diaphragm flap 10f.

This compression spring 17a has a top vertical and cylindrical shank 25, which extends through and fits closely in a vertical hole of the top arm of stirrup S. This compression spring 17a has coils Whose diameter increases to a bottom coil 17b.

This compression spring 17a is initially assembled with stirrup S and leg L, by passing the shank 25 through the opening in the top arm of stirrup S.

The leg I. can then "be connected by pivot rod 12 to the stirrup-arms 11 and 11a, while abutting the bottom coil 17b of spring 17a against the top of leg L. The spring 17a is under compression in this sub-assembly.

The coils of spring 17a may optionally be located wholly within the stirrup S, although said coils may extend in front and in rear of the arms 11 and 11a. Optionally, spring 174' may be a helical spring with coils of circular shape, or said coils may have a flattened shape, so that said coils are located wholly Within the stirrup S, and said coils extend closely to the inner faces of arms 11 and 11a;

While the pivot-rod 12 thus connects arms 11 and 11a to leg L in this initial assembly, the top arm of stirrup S and spring 17a are both pushed upwardly through diaphragm 10, by temporarily upwardly bending diaphragmflap 101, using a suitable tool to force the bottom coil 17b above diaphragm 10. This tool can be inserted through the slot 20. The diaphragm-flap is then allowed to spring back to its normal position. In the final assembly of Fig. 6, the coil spring 17a is under compression, and its bottom coil 17b abuts the top face of diaphragm 10 beyond diaphragm-flat 10 so that coil spring 17a is held in position and exerts an upward thrust upon leg L and a downward thrust on thigh T, like the coil spring 17 of the first embodiment. The bottom coil 17 b of coil spring 17a may abut the junction between diaphragm 10 and the inner face of thigh T. Since the coil spring 17a is sufficiently flexible, if its coils are larger than the opening in diaphragm 10 which is provided by its flap 10 said coils can be easily squeezed to insert said coils through said opening of diaphragm 10.

Third embodiment, Figs. 7 and 8 In this embodiment, the thigh T is open and easily accessible at its upper end. A laterally extending and horizontal internal rod 2 6, which is parallel to the longitudinal pivot rod 12, is fixed to the side walls of thigh T. Thus rod 26 is inserted through the top open end of thigh T. The stirrup S is of the same construction as in the preceding embodiments, save that the top arm of stirrup S is not perforated. In this third embodiment, the slot and the diaphragm-flap 10 of Fig. 3 may be omitted. If said slot 29 is omitted, the stirrup-aims 11 and 11a are passed downwardly through the arm-slots 21 and 21a, and the pivot-pin 12 is then inserted through the bores of leg L and the bores of stirrup-arms 11 and 11a, to provide the pivotal connection between leg L and arms 11 and 11a. An elastic band is then passed around internal, longitudinal rod 26, and around the longitudinal top arm of stirrup S, which is parallel to said rod 26.

The ends of this elastic band strip are then fixed to each other, to provide an elastic loop 27.

This loop 27 is always under tension in the assembly, so that loop 27 yieldably forces thigh T and leg L towards each other, so that the tensed loop 27 is a spring which performs substantially the same function as spring 17 in Fig. 2 and the spring 17a in Fig. 6.

The angle between the respective longitudinal axes of leg L and thigh T may be 90 or less, so that leg L is bent only partially relative to thigh T. The friction between the abutting faces of leg L and thigh T is sufficient to keep leg L yieldably in position, in all positions of leg L between its vertical position of Fig. 2 and its fully bent position of Fig. 5.

The invention is further disclosed in the claims, which define the scope of the invention. As above noted, whenever a thigh or leg is mentioned in the claims, this includes all inner and outer members of any joint in a doll or manikin.

We claim:

1. A thigh-member which has transversely-opposed front and rear walls and which also has laterally opposed side walls, said thigh-member having a joint-forming end which has a rim, said thigh-member having an integral,

internal, arched diaphragm at saidrim, said diaphragm having an inner faceand an outer face, said outer face being accessible through said open, joint-formingend, said outer face having an integral longitudinal rib.- directed towards said open end, said arched diaphragm having two transverse slits which have proximate ends which are continuous with a lateral slit, said diaphragm having a lateral and resilient flap intermediate said transverse slits, said flap having transverse edges which are located intermediate said transverse slits, said resilient flap being bendable relative to said diaphragm in a direction away from said rim, sa-id transverse slits and said transverse edges being shaped and located to provide said diaphragm with transverse slots which are open at said lateral slit, said slots being closed at their ends. which are opposed to said lateral slit, said slits'being adapted to receive the legs of a stirrup.

2. In combination, a thigh-member and a leg-member, said thigh-member and said leg-member having transversely-opposed front and rear walls, said thigh-member and said leg-member also having laterally opposed sidewalls, said thigh-member and said leg-member having a joint at their proximate ends, said thigh-member being open at its respective proximate end and having a rim and also having an internal and resilient and arched diaphragm at said joint end, said diaphragm having an outer diaphragm-wall which faces said joint, said outer diaphragm-wall having a lateral diaphragm-rib and a lateral diaphragm recess which face said joint, said leg having a resilient head at said joint, said head having a transverse shoulder at the rear of said head, said head having a lateral head-recess and also having a lateral head-wall, said diaphragm-rib interfitting with said head-recess and said head-wall interfitting with said diaphragm recess when said thigh-member and said leg-member are vertically alined, the rear part of said rim abutting said shoulder when said thigh-member and said leg-member are thus vertically alined, a stirrup which has parallel stirrup arms, said stirrup having a closed end located in said thigh-member, said diaphragm having arm-slots through which said stirrup-arms extend to the side-walls of said leg, a lateral pivot which turnably connects said stirrup arms to said leg, a spring which biases said thigh-member and said leg-member towards each other, said legmember being turnable relative to said thigh-member to an adjusted inclined position, in which said diaphragmrib is released from said head-recess and said head-wall is released from said diaphragm-recess and the rear part of said rim abuts the rear Wall of said leg and the front part of said head is in frictional engagement with the front part of said diaphragm.

3. A combination according to claim 2, in which the closed end of said stirrup has a longitudinal slot and a bearing opening intermediate the ends of said slot, a rod which extends slidably and turnable through said bearing opening, said rod being substantially parallel to the vertical axis of said thigh-member, said rod having a plate rigidly fixed thereto between said stirrup arms, said spring being a compression spring mounted on said rod between the closed end of said stirrup and said plate, said rod having a cross-lug which is dimensioned to ex tend across said slot to act as a stop to prevent the movement of said plate towards said diaphragm, said rod being turnable to aline said cross-lug with said slot to pass said cross-lug through said slot, said compression spring moving said plate to abut the diaphragm when said crosslug is passed through said slot.

4. A joint between a first member and a second member, said first member having an internal diaphragm at said joint and within said first member, said second member having a head, said head having a wall which substantially interfits with said diaphragm in a first selected position of said second member relative to said first member, said second member being rotatably connected to said first member by connecting means which include a pivot pin which is connected to said second member, resilient means located in said first member, and means connecting said resilient means and said pivot pin, said resilient means urging said first and second members to wards each other in every position of the second member relative to the first member, said diaphragm and said head having interfitting laterally extending groove-and-lug means which are in engagement when said second member is in said first selected position, said second member being rotatable to a second selected position relative to said first member in which said groove-and-lug means are out of engagement, said head abutting the inner wall of the first member in frictional engagement in said second position, the friction of said frictional engagement being sufiicient to maintain said second member in said second selected position.

5. A knee-joint for a thigh and leg, said thigh being hollow and having an internal diaphragm at said kneejoint, the outer face of said diaphragm being concave, said leg having a head, the top of said head having a transverse groove, said outer face of said diaphragm having a depending transverse rib which is shaped and located to interfit with said groove when said leg is substantially alined with said thigh, the top of said head substantially interfitting with said concave outer face of said diaphragm when said leg is thus substantially alined with said thigh, a spring located in said thigh-member inwardly of said diaphragm, a pivot pin connected to the top of said leg, connecting means extending through said diaphragm and connecting said spring and said pivot pin, said spring being operative to force said head towards said diaphragm, said leg-member being turnable relative to said thighmember about said pivot pin to disengage said groove from said lug, a part of said head frictionally abutting a part of said diaphragm when said groove is disengaged from said lug.

6. A knee-joint according to claim 5, in which the connecting means which connect to said spring and said pivot pin are a stirrup which has a top part and two arms which extend through respective slots of said diaphragm,

said spring is mounted upon a rod which is substantially alined with the axis of said thigh, said rod extending slidably through said top part of said stirrup, said rod having a plate fixed thereto below the top part of the stirrup, said spring being a compression spring which is mounted in said rod between said top part and said plate, said spring pressing said plate against the top of said diaphragm, said diaphragm being yieldable and having a cross-slot which connects said slots, said diaphragm being sufficiently yieldable at said cross-slot to permit the upward insertion of said stirrup through said diaphragm at said cross-slot.

7. A knee-joint according to claim 5, in which the connecting means which connect said spring and said pivot pin are a stirrup which has a top part and two arms which extend through respective slots of said diaphragm, said spring being a compression spring which is located between said top part and said diaphragm, said spring abutting said top part and said diaphragm, said diaphragm being yieldable and having a cross-slot which connects said slots, said diaphragm being sufficiently yieldable at said cross-slot to permit the upward insertion of said stirrup and said spring at said cross-slot.

8. A knee-joint according to claim 5, in which the connecting means which connect said spring and said pivot pin are a stirrup and a top part which has two legs which extend through respective slots of said diaphragm, said thigh having a cross-rod fixed thereto above said top part, said spring being an elastic which is connected to said top part and said cross-rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 982,096 SchOenhOt Jan. 17, 1911 2,359,425 Katz Oct. 3, 1944 2,791,063 Gardel et a1. May 7, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 174,835 Germany Sept. 14, 1906 

